Reinforced center frame for boiler-grates.



I. MAHON.

REINFORCED CENTER FRAME FOR BOILER GRATES.

APPLICATION FILED IUNEZG. I916.

Patented Jan. 23, 1917.

/A/ I/E/V TOR e/kmw M 0/2 A ITOB/VEIS JAll'iES 'MAHON, OF RAVE-NA, NEW YORK.

REINFORCED CENTER FRAME FOE BOILER-GBATES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented an. as, rare.

Application filed June 26, 1916. Serial No. 105,899.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES MAHON, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of Ravena, in the county of Albany and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Reinforced Center Frame for Boiler-Grates, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to the grates of locomotive boilers, stationary boilers and other boilers, and its object is to provide a new and reinforced center frame for such grates to prevent the center frame from breaking, warping or cracking with a view to insure long life of the grate and to hold the grate bars in proper position for being shaken whenever required.

In order to accomplish the desired result, use is made of a cast iron center frame provided'with an enlarged depending integral portion, and a reinforcing steel bar cast in the said depending portion and extending throughout the length of the center frame.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a cross section of the improved reinforced center frame as applied to a locomotive boiler, the section being on the line 11 of Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of the same on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross section of the reinforced center frame; Fig. 4 is a reduced side elevation of the reinforcing member; and Fig. 5 is a cross section of a modified form of the reinforced center frame.

The cast iron center frame of the grate of a locomotive boiler is subjected to a high heat at both sides and hence is liable to break or even warp and crack. lVhen the center frame becomes warped, the grate bars pivoted thereon bind and cannot be rocked and shaken free of the ashes, thereby preventing the proper burning of the fuel. If the center frame breaks down it falls into the ash pan and is burned out together with the ash pan thus rendering the locomotive unfit for further use, and in case this happens on the road traflic is completely suspended. If the center frame is cracked or broken the inner ends of the grate bars sag down thus preventing shaking thereof and keeping an even fire, and removal of the center frame and replacing it by a new one becomes necessary at considerable expense and loss of the use of the boiler for the time. In order to overcome these difficulties is the principal object of the center bar presently described in detail.

The cast iron center frame 10 is provided at its ends with downwardly and outwardly extending V-shaped heels 11 seated on supports 12 attached in the usual manner-to the inside of the fire boxof the boiler 13, as plainly indicated in the drawings. The center frame 10 is held against accidental shifting on the supports 12 by transverse bolts 14: passing through the supports 12 and the heels 11.

The center frame 10 is provided at the upper portion of its sides with spaced trunnions or pivots 15 for the inner ends of the grate bars 16 to turn on, the outer ends of the grate bars being mounted to turn on trunnions or pivots 17 held on plates 18 attached to the inside of the boiler 13, in the usual manner.

The parts so far described are the same as now generally employed in the construction of locomotive boilers.

The center frame 10 is provided with an integral depending and somewhat thickened portion 20 in which is embedded a reinforcing member 21 in the form of a Hat steel bar provided with transverse openings 22 filled with the iron metal when casting the center frame, with the reinforcing member 21 held in the mold in which the center frame is cast. The reinforcing member 21 extends throughout the length of the center frame and its ends are provided with downwardly and outwardly extending integral heels 23 conforming to the heels 11 of the center frame 10. Thus the center frame is reinforced throughout the extended portion 20 as well as at the ends to insure a proper support of the center frame when in position on the supports 12 of the boiler. The ends of the reinforcing member 21 are also provided with elongated slots 24: for the free passage of the bolts 14 previously mentioned.

It will be noticed that the enlarged and reinforced depending portion 20 of the center frame 10 extends a distance down below the burning fuel on the grate bars 16 and this reinforced portion is hence not liable to be highly heated by the burning fuel on the grate. As the depending portion is reinforced and is kept comparatively cool by the air passing up through the ash pit to and between the grate bars, it is evident that the center frame is not liable to burn out, break or even become warped and crack and hence lasts a long time.

It will further be noticed that by maintaining the center frame in its proper position at all times the grate bars 16 are free to rock on their bearings. The reinforcing member 21 may be of inverted T shape in cross section to provide a bottom member 25 protecting the underside of the extended portion 20 of the reinforcing frame 10, as plainly shown in Fig. 5.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. As an article of manufacture, a cast iron center frame for boiler grates, comprising a frame gradually increasing in thickness from a point intermediate of its width to its lower edge, and having a fiat steel bar cast in said thickened portion and extending throughout the length of the frame.

2. As an article of manufacture, a cast iron center frame for boiler grates provided with an enlarged depending integral portion, and a reinforcing steel bar cast in the said depending portion and extending throughout the length of the center frame, the said reinforcing bar having transverse apertures filled with the metal of the de pending portion.

3. As an article of manufacture, a cast iron center frame for boiler grates provided with an enlarged depending integral portion, and at its ends with V-shaped heels, and a reinforcing steel bar cast in the said depending portion and extending throughout the length of the center frame, the ends of the reinforcing bars having downwardly and outwardly projecting V-shaped terminals conforming to the heels of the center frame.

' JAMES MAHON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

